Nestled between two interstate highways, the land known as the Gateway Green has been sitting unused for nearly a decade, but it could soon be offering Portland cyclists a new place to get their tires dirty.

The long and skinny stretch of land used to be attached to Rocky Butte Park, but was cut off by the construction of the I-205 interstate. Portland Parks & Recreation recently purchased 25 acres of property from the Oregon DOT with the hopes of transforming it into a park by 2017. The group in charge of the project – Friends of Gateway Green – is hosting a cyclocross race at the venue this Saturday as a fundraising effort. The regional government has offered a $1 million grant, and the group needs to raise an additional $2 million to secure it.

The focus of the project is almost entirely on bicycle facilities, especially for the knobby tire crowd. Portland is well-known for its robust cycling culture, but opportunities to get your tires dirty inside the city are limited. Plans for bike amenities include cycle paths, a pump track and some beginner-friendly singletrack.

The cyclocross race will be a demonstration of what the venue has to offer, and believe it or not, is the first cyclocross race held on Portland park property in over a decade. It will even be a car-free event, with all race equipment and supplies being transported to the site by bike.

Learn more about the Gateway Green project and how you can get involved at gatewaygreenpdx.org.